Ministry is not about helping these kids be better Christians, it is about helping be what God created them to be — human. – Andrew Root
I started re-reading Andrew Root’s book, “Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry: From a Strategy of Influence to a Theology of Incarnation” and this quote from the introduction of the book always catches my eye and causes me to think deeply about what we really do in ministry. We do something that we as humans don’t like to do, and that is to act like humans.
To us, our humanity and being human is only defined by the mistakes we have made and the times that we have failed, and yet God intentionally created us this exact way, to be human, and even more to the point he became a human.
Clearly God cares for us to embrace our humanity with expectancy and excitement.
See all we see is the bad things, but God sees all the good that can come from embracing humanity. The bible is full of the negative effects of this embrace, but also it is stocked with the positives as well.
He made us this way for a reason, with a purpose, because there is power in ourselves and that power lies within our ability to choose what we want for our life. It wouldn’t mean anything if we were programmed to follow and believe in Christ, but it is raw power when it choose above all else that we want this.
John Wesley wanted one thing above all other things and in his paper, “The Character of a Methodist” he mentions several times.
“Because a Methodist does not love the world, nor any of the things of the world, no once can take what he or she desires. All desire is for God and for living as one who bears God’s name.”
This one segment of text from “A Perfect Love: Understanding John Wesley’s A Plain Account of Christian Perfection by Steven Manskar” uncovers Wesley’s view on life and what he wanted above all else for his life; to do God’s will. Now of course he didn’t consistently live up to this desire but at all times it was something he strived for.
What do you strive for?
As you think about that always remember that there is great power and influence in embracing your humanity and all that you strive for.
Grace and Peace.
Amen.